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June 5, 2011

How to Make Ornamental Plaster Furniture Appliques

I often find furniture or craft projects that need just a little something extra to dress them up and plaster ornaments are the perfect solution.

I have never seen plaster molded in polymer clay but, it is the way I have always done it, it's inexpensive, and it works.

I use any polymer clay that needs to be baked in order to harden

Find anything you would like to make a mold of. I used a drawer knob here.

Always use dusting powder and coat your object first so it will not stick to the clay

I kneaded my clay until it was soft and pressed the flower into the clay

You now have a mold

I mixed up a small amount of plaster. I found this plaster on clearance a long time ago, but you can use any plaster from the craft store.

Pour the plaster in to the mold, tap it to get out any air bubbles, and let it dry. This particular plaster hardens in 1-2 hours.

After it hardens pull the clay away from the plaster and take your molded flower out.

The green on the plaster is the color picked up from the clay. I used green clay for this tutorial to make it easier for you to see. It would be best to use white clay.

You will see that you have to clean the edges around the molded flower.

I used a Dremel

But, chipping it away with your fingernails and then using a finger nail file will also work.

I used E-6000 glue and attached 3 roses to this letter holder

Taking it from this

To this

Here is a few tips to make this project successful

Be sure not to bake the clay, the reason this clay works is because it is flexible, if you bake the clay you will not be able to remove the molded plaster.

This mold can be reused many times, the clay will not harden unless baked. I keep it in a ziplock bag. You could also reuse it for another project.

You can mold any object

This drawer plate when molded will be fragile because it is thin and has more of a chance of cracking, but it can be done. You may want to push it farther into the clay to make the plaster a little thicker when you mold it.

I dry brushed this shelf

And added the plaster mold to the top

I wish I had filled in the hole in the center with clay, oh well.

There is nothing wrong with using ornamental wood, but they get a little pricy and have limited designs

Making your own molds gives you limitless designs.....

There is a product called "Amazing Mold Putty" that you can purchase at any craft store for $19.99 that makes permanent flexible molds.

But, If you're like me and just occasionally need a plaster ornament for a project, the polymer clay works great.

I have used plaster ornaments for:

Suitcases (By the handle)

Tin, wooden, and cardboard boxes

Picture frames

Any kind of furniture

I can see your creative minds are spinning with ideas!

Update: I added a post HERE on making plaster appliques with gum paste molds generally used for cake decorating....Easy

87 comments:

If I had an award for best tute I have ever seen, yours would definitely get that medal! Simple, great images, alternatives, well explained, etc. etc. etc.! Really, an impressive job...the kind of tute that makes me wonder "why I didn't think of that"...but you did, and I really am appreciative! Thanks so much...♥

you are my hero,, Ms.Super Crafty Woman.You come up with THE best ideas and make them sound so flippin easy,, even a craft challenged person like me could do this,, at least I could tell myself I can.thanks for this,

Carol, you're a genius! I love this idea!!! Thank you so much for the inspiration! We just picked up a bedroom set for my daughter at an estate sale...I'm going to be repainting/refinishing it, but each piece has these awful (in my opinion) shell appliques on it...yuck. This would be the perfect way for me to change out the medallions without spending tons of money!!! Yay!!!

You are a GENIUS Carol!! Not only are you a genius but you are kind enough to share your tips, tricks, tutorials, and creations with all of us! I love this and can think of so many ways to use it! Thank you, t. xoxoxo

Carol, thank you so much for sharing this!! I was wondering a long time how to make such applications. Thanx to you I'm finally able to finish some of my projects :)And I really like what you've made of these two "furnitures"!Have a great week

OH MY!! That is AMAZING....LOVE it..I can't wait to give it a try....I will also have to show this to my son who loves to work with polymer clay...when he finds out he can make molds out of it he is going to go BONKERS!!!

ALL of yours came out so LOVELY..even the one with the hole in it.. : ) you can always put a Rhinestone or Pearl in the center...

This is fantastic! I have been wanting to make an inspiration board from a $.95 thrift bulletin board and this will be perfect for making some embellishments!

Wish I could have met you at Shelley's! I was supposed to be there, but couldn't because we were expecting our oldest to give birth at that time here in our home. Hopefully I can meet you at a future blogger's gathering! :o)

that is a clever idea! I always have mold making material handy and never thought of that. I have had to replace pieces on ornate frames and mirrors and there is a brush on mold you can use to copy pieces right on the mirror or want ever, you get the parts you want then can cast them and stick them right on without having to take the piece off the orignial ... it's made by a company called Smooth-on but I think you can find it at Michaels and Hobby Lobby too. (())

Carol, WHY aren't you teaching classes and making a business out of your gifts and talents! THANK YOU for your comment and support on the little pink camper and the BPBP! You are the second person today to ask me to come to Florida! How exciting is that!!!!!! ROAD TRIP! Have a pretty day! Kristin

Carol,I can think of a hundred ways to use this clever and creative idea! Wonderful! This could add just that little touch and embellishment to in-need-of-love objects. The ones you transformed turned out beautifully!Thanks for all the inspiration.Yvonne

WOW!! That's FANTASTIC!!! I have lots of polymer clay sitting around and never thought of using it UNCOOKED for molds...so SMART!!! I can't wait to try it! Now I'm glad I didn't buy those wooden decorative pieces that were tempting me so badly last week! :)

This is the most awesome tutorial I've seen! I can't wait to go get me some plaster and go to town. You've made a new follower out of me =) Come share this at my party this weekend too if you'd like! http://designergarden.blogspot.com/p/where-i-link-up.html

Ok, I think it is official, I am in love with you! LOL I have been thinking of making some embellisments and thought I would have to build them up from putty. This is wonderful. Thank you again for a perfect tutoral!

I have wanted to do this project for at least 6 years and kept putting it off because I didn't know what clay to use, what to put between the clay and the plaster, what plaster to use, etc. I had loads of ideas but not the patience to try them all out and to make my final project so it kept spinning in my head. You have filled in my necessary details. Me and my future wall art thank you.

Carol, These are the things I WISH HGTV would have in their programs? Things we can really use! They need to think about "The Polka Dot Closet SHOW!" I think it would be a huge success! THANK YOU for all your great ideas! Becky

I used your technique to make appliques that I recently applied to a laminate TV/entertainment center armoire that I turned into a beachy china cabinet. I made starfish and seashells to embellish the doors and absolutely love how it looks. I'm so happy I found the tutorial. Here's a link to my final pic! Thanks, JUDY @ Distressed, But Not Forsaken

You are just a font of knowledge everytime I think about something I would love to make you help out. thank you very much and this tutorial will be used over and over again. Just what I needed and at the right time, how did you know.?????

If you only knew how many times this week I have said "This woman is a genius." Having just found your blog, I thought it my duty to go back and read as many of your blog posts as I could. I feel that we would be kindred spirits, or maybe partners in crime if we lived near each other. I love everything I have read so far and don't have enough time in a weekend to do it all, but I'm sure gonna give it a try. Thank you for so freely sharing your amazing creativity. You truly are gifted.

Thank you for this tutorial! I need to replace some plaster trim on an antique frame and this is the method I shall use. I knew it could be done and wasn't quite sure how to proceed. You are so talented and I enjoy your blog so much! May your holidays be blessed! Linda

Thank you! Gracias! I had been thinking about this for some time now. I thank you so much por posting this. My idea though, was making them out of polymer clay using silicone moulds, since I thought plaster was too fragile. ¿What do you think about making the embellishments out of polymer clay?? Saludos from México!!Marisol HB

Here's my suggestion to strengthen pieces with fragile parts for your mold-making process. I add white glue to my plaster mix. Simple and effective. I also add glue to any project that I figure needs added strengthening such as paper mache, top coats. Nice projects :)